San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-08-30
A GOOD CENTRE SHOT.
Private Opinions Publicly Expressed
A. w. clifford on the Sit
uatiOD.

uation.
The accompanying letter was received
in this city in answer to a request that
the writer would act with the commit
tee now engaged in working up the To-
cal Improvement OF this city. 1t speaks
for itself and needs no comment.-LED.
LAREDO, Tex, Aug. "a, 1887.
Mr.. J. s. Alexander, San Antonio, Texas:
Dear Sir and Friend:-I note your
Italian hand, in the adding Of my name
to the booming committee, and II 1t
was not for the fact that you are one OF
our new corners and a man of enter
prise, approaching enterprise, l would
say, look out, for | am coming with
shotgun, loaded for bear 80 with this
fact say, thank you, and call your at
tention to the fact that the arguments
the committee are now making, and
will have to make, are nothing more
than have been making individually
and collectively to the good people OF
San Antonio for ten years past. Yes, l
even did more; proved my arguments
by absolute work, wh!cE S: :3%.ssss... nell
sands OF people to San Antonio and
West Texas at u cost to me
Of five years hard work and an
actual loss OF $4,000 in cash, much
OF which | still owe. With these facts
before me, | am in no humor to again
wrestle with San Antonio mOssbacks.
The matter OF judicious use Ofprinters'
ink in the booming OF localities IL, and has
been my speciality for Is years. In
Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Colorado
and New Mexico, the railroads paid for
my work, and the patronage OF the
people simply Increased the circulation
and became an active endorser and as
sistaBt to the work. But In Texas, l
am sorry to say, the people opposed 1t,
even to the extent Of ordering me to
leave localities and threatening to hang
me II published statistics in their be-
half. Such opposition was only nuts
for me and only mention Ii to say that
this opposition Is what drove the rail-
roads to stop advertising Texas, and to
prove to you that have already done
more than my share OF such
work, and consequently have no
time or desire to act on committees.
On this subject | will suggest that II the
business m en- OF San Antonio, will SIM
ply recall some OF the many personal ar.
guments i have had with them during
the past ten years, together with the
proofs presented OF the benefits they
we're receiving from printers ink In the
cause Of booming and immigration, they
will need no committee work, but come
forward and contribute their might,
without any trouble or labor.
The only way that would have any
thing to do with the matter would be as
follows: IL the people of San Antonio
will subscribe $4,000 per month, for
II months, paying same into your bank,
subject TO sight draft on first day OF each
month, | will take hold and spend the
money, with the distinct understanding,
that | don't want, nor do need any sug-
gestlon or advise, but on the contrary the
people are to follow my instructions, and
advise; or il any man can be found that
am satisfied after examination under
stands judicious printers ink In this
particular line and can give the benefits
that | know can be produced, will
subscribe $500 per month toward the
amount personally and say to the COM
mittee there is your man, and don't
own dollars worth OF property in the
town.
San Antonio and southwest Texas
needs at least 100000 spent in
printers ink the first year to produce
the desired results and l would aim to
spend this amount If | took hold. San
Antonio is not alone in this spasmodic
desire for booming printers ink, for this
little city OF Laredo, only One.eighth the
size and Importance OF San Antonio,
through a private committee OF five en-
terprising citizens, have made me
proposition to subscribe Sl,CJ0 per
month for II months II will go to St.
Louis and boom the town; and the Citi-
zens of Monterey, Mex, have pre-.
sented similar proposition to
me, and to both OF them | have
made the answer that when the
the towns interested will make up a
joint pool of 5000 } subject to my drafts
monthly, will take it, agreeing to en-
list the railroads, and double the amount.
! will be in San Antonio next month,
and if the good people have shown their
earnestness in this matter by signing
an iron clad promise to an amount
monthly for twelve months, and your
bank will guarantee it; instead Of windy
meetings, at which every fellow has
much to say about something he knows
little about, will take off my hat and
talk business with them, with much
pleasure. Very respectfully,
A. W. CLIFFORD.
7. ST. mean nothing personal in this
letter; simply have had ten years ex-
perienGe with San Antonio on this sub
ject, and don't need or want any more
experience. The shoe will only pinch
tight feet.